It might be fun for us disheartened fans to cut the crap and say what we'd try instead.

It's time for the coach to honestly search for some chemistry. BC appears to be in no hurry to make a trade. I don't blame him either. It's not a great time for trading and coming out on top. Getting rid of Bargs for nothing back is fool's talk.

I was glad to see Kleiza start last game. So, for the record, and I'd love to see others' suggestions, I'd do the line-ups this way:

I think something like this is worth a try for a few games to see how it goes. Run totally different offensive sets with these lineups, and play the same players together as much as possible. More athletic players can be juggled a bit on the wings for matchup reasons. Obviously my way would be to run a slower half-court offence with Calderone and a fast-break style with Lowry.

So what would you do?

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 02:38 PM

slaw

Your starting lineup looks like the 20-win team from the last 2 seasons. Not sure what the point of that is.

You can't run different offenses with different groups. You'd have mass confusion.

Now that this season is lost, I'm in favour of rolling with Val/Davis/Ross/Derozan/Lowry. Let the losses mount and let the young guys play. There is no sense giving major minutes to anyone else as none of them are a part of the future here. Move Calderon's expiring, which should be doable. Try and move Bargnani and Lowry, if you can, for picks.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 02:54 PM

Ed Davis

Lowry
Derozan
Pietrus
Davis
Val

I want to see Davis get the start and have him play more to see how he handles more minutes and playing against better players than he often faces coming off the bench.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 03:10 PM

Nilanka

Quote:

slaw wrote:

Now that this season is lost, I'm in favour of rolling with Val/Davis/Ross/Derozan/Lowry. Let the losses mount and let the young guys play. There is no sense giving major minutes to anyone else as none of them are a part of the future here. Move Calderon's expiring, which should be doable. Try and move Bargnani and Lowry, if you can, for picks.

I whole-heartedly agree.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 03:13 PM

Ed Davis

Quote:

slaw wrote:

Your starting lineup looks like the 20-win team from the last 2 seasons. Not sure what the point of that is.

You can't run different offenses with different groups. You'd have mass confusion.

Now that this season is lost, I'm in favour of rolling with Val/Davis/Ross/Derozan/Lowry. Let the losses mount and let the young guys play. There is no sense giving major minutes to anyone else as none of them are a part of the future here. Move Calderon's expiring, which should be doable. Try and move Bargnani and Lowry, if you can, for picks.

What? I'm assuming you meant someone else

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 03:15 PM

Nilanka

Quote:

Ed Davis wrote:

What? I'm assuming you meant someone else

Lowry (or Jonas) is the only the way you can anything of value for Bargnani.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 03:18 PM

Fuchan

We need to face facts that we're building towards nothing. Blow it up, collect draft picks, repeat, until you get a centerpiece (Wiggins please?)

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 03:31 PM

Ed Davis

Quote:

Nilanka wrote:

Lowry (or Jonas) is the only the way you can anything of value for Bargnani.

I see both Lowry and Val as part of the solution, not the problem (im not saying you think they are part of the problem). I have no interest in moving either unless it's in a deal for a clear upgrade.

I think some teams will still see value in Bargs. I was watching The Association:Brooklyn Nets and in practice Avery Johnson put so much focus on Bargs. Teams clearly still see him as an offensive threat that can really hurt you on the scoreboard. I think in the right system he could be a valuable player to a team (offensively only of course).

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 03:50 PM

akashsingh

bench>starters. I would like to see that "bench" get most of the minutes.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 04:07 PM

DoNDaDDa

anyone who'd prefer to see the bench start instead is MADD! how can u say ur a raptor fan & say u want them to win then say start the bench??? makes no sense to me... Bargs is the only one who should be replaced... let Val Start if hes not got it going he'll prob be in foul trouble quick anyway then u put amir in NOT Gray...

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 04:08 PM

hateslosing

I'd play whoever was playing defense. If you miss a rotation or don't play hard you get yanked. I may also start Ed Davis in place of Jonas if I thought he would bring his crazy rebounding ability on a nightly basis. Him and Bargs as a combo makes more sense and it would give Jonas a chance to have some plays run for him. Jonas and Amir rolling for Calderon is also nice thought.
Derozen is the number one option and we run almost all our plays for him or Lowry. Bargnani is used as a spacer, not as a one on one threat and basically just waits on the perimeter for a kick out. No more of these pump fakes to long two's that hurt my eyes. This also gives him something concrete to practice, just shoot 1000 threes a day and you are doing your job.
I'd play Pietrus and Kleiza at the three with a few minutes going to Derozen every game so he can play with Ross. Ross backs up DD, Lowry plays 65% of the pg with the finisher decided by who's playing better, our four main bigs split time pretty much evenly and compete for minutes.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 06:20 PM

blackjitsu

Quote:

Ed Davis wrote:

Lowry
Derozan
Pietrus
Davis
Val

I want to see Davis get the start and have him play more to see how he handles more minutes and playing against better players than he often faces coming off the bench.

This lineup, change to a slow down half court offense, stop using subs in the first quarter unless I'm desperate. Best lineup on the court for the whole fourth quarter. Shorten the bench and play a max of 9 guys a game -- I'm thinking Amir, Bargs, Ross, Jose. Use all of my time outs.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 06:45 PM

slaw

Quote:

Ed Davis wrote:

What? I'm assuming you meant someone else

Nope, I meant Lowry.

You only have two assets of much value: Jonas and Lowry. Assuming Val is untouchable, if you want a premium asset you have to move Lowry. He's in his prime, he's a FA after next season who is not going to sign long term here.

If you want to keep Lowry, you have to figure out a way to bring in an elite swingman to play with him, which would require moving Val and Ross and probably Derozan and Davis, too. Plus whatever picks you can legally move. I see those as the only material options. Everything else is shuffling deck chairs.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 07:03 PM

Ed Davis

Quote:

slaw wrote:

Nope, I meant Lowry.

You only have two assets of much value: Jonas and Lowry. Assuming Val is untouchable, if you want a premium asset you have to move Lowry. He's in his prime, he's a FA after next season who is not going to sign long term here.

If you want to keep Lowry, you have to figure out a way to bring in an elite swingman to play with him, which would require moving Val and Ross and probably Derozan and Davis, too. Plus whatever picks you can legally move. I see those as the only material options. Everything else is shuffling deck chairs.

Fair enough.

It would take a pretty good deal for me to move Lowry, but yeah he's definitely not untouchable. I was just surprised to see his name in a trade discussion since he's been pretty impressive for us, but I see what you are saying. It definitely concerns me that he might not sign long-term here especially if the team struggles for the rest of his current contract. I'd be interested to see what we could get if he was in a deal. Like I said it would have to be really good return because finding a good point guard is not an easy task.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 09:47 PM

psrs1

Quote:

Ed Davis wrote:

Lowry
Derozan
Pietrus
Davis
Val

I want to see Davis get the start and have him play more to see how he handles more minutes and playing against better players than he often faces coming off the bench.

In agreement.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 09:50 PM

BasketballCrush

Davis played poorly in his one start, but I agree, that his play of late has earned him another.

Mon Dec 10th, 2012, 10:08 PM

koncept

its pretty simple to me. I'd want to change the culture again to defence first. I would keep every single player on a short leash. Stars / starters - whatever they would have their playing time adjusted to discipline. I feel like Sam Mitchell was pretty good at this.

Whoever was performing the best during the game would also be my crunch time guys. I wouldn't put a cold Bargnani in because he was 'our guy'.

Tue Dec 11th, 2012, 07:56 AM

minks77

Quote:

Ed Davis wrote:

Lowry
Derozan
Pietrus
Davis
Val

I want to see Davis get the start and have him play more to see how he handles more minutes and playing against better players than he often faces coming off the bench.

I love JV but he's gotta come off the bench. He's in over his head not that it's his fault. I'd put Davis and Gray or even Amir in the starting lineup.